The Mahakali Irrigation Project, one of Nepal’s national pride projects, has achieved only 27 percent physical progress in the 18 years since its initiation. The government has already invested around Rs 9 billion in the project.
Estimated to cost around Rs 35 billion, the project was launched in 2006 with the aim of providing irrigation facilities to 33,520 hectares of farmland in Kanchanpur and Kailali districts. However, progress has remained sluggish due to budget constraints, land compensation disputes, and challenges related to forest area management.
“The project's slow progress is due to locals’ dissatisfaction with compensation, unresolved land issues, and delays in forest area management,” said Senior Division Engineer Rajesh Bhakta Pokharel.
So far, 28.9 kilometres of the 151-kilometre main canal have been constructed from Brahmadev to Phuleli in Shuklaphanta Municipality. The project also includes 22 branch canals, which are expected to provide irrigation to 5,200 hectares of land by the next fiscal year.
As per the Mahakali Treaty, India has already completed the construction of a 1,200-metre section of the main canal from Tanakpur to the Nepal–India border.
The government aims to complete the canal construction up to Malakheti by 2030. However, nearly two decades since its launch, locals remain frustrated as the project continues to face repeated delays. -- RSS
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